Conversations with Writers

Alice Lenkiewicz is the author of Men Hate Blondes (origional plus, 2009), a poetry collection; and, Maxine (Bluechrome Publishing, 2005), a novella. In addition to being a writer and a poet, she is also an artist and a poetry and art magazine editor. In an earlier interview , she spoke about the series of events that led to her setting up Neon Highway , the magazine she edits with Jane Marsh. Below, Alice Lenkiewicz talks about some of the ways in which she approaches her work as a writer: How would you describe your writing? I have found that what I read and how I write are different things. When creating a process of writing poetry and fiction I am quite interested in the ‘cut up’ method and using various techniques that are considered postmodern, such as playing and challenging the traditional idea of linear text, creating a variety of discourses, mixing different genres, taking note of the voice and the author and how this will affect the overall viewpoint. I...

Andrew Taylor has written and published eight poetry collections, among them, Turn For Home (The Brodie Press, 2003); Temporary Residence (erbacce Press, 2007) and The Sound of Light Aircraft (Knives, Forks and Spoons Press, 2010). He has a PhD in Poetry and Poetics and is a founder member of the Edge Hill University Poetry and Poetics Research Group . In addition to that, Taylor also co-edits erbacce and erbacce-press . In this interview, Andrew Taylor talks about his writing: How would you describe the writing you are doing? Poetry. Some have describe it as innovative, some realist, some post-realist. I think it’s for others to describe it though rather than me. Who is your target audience? Whoever is publishing the poems I guess. I never have thought of a target audience really. I just hope that those who buy the books do so for the purposes of enjoying the poems and in supporting the small presses who kindly publish the work. How have your personal experiences influenced your ...

Zimbabwean writer, academic and civil rights activist, Zvisinei Sandi teaches on politics and literature in Southern Africa at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law at Stanford University. She has also worked as a journalist and was secretary general of the human rights watchdog, the Society for Gender Justice. Some of her short stories have been published in anthologies that include Creatures, Great and Small (Mambo Press, 2005) and Women Writing Zimbabwe (Weaver Press, 2008). In this interview, Zvisinei Sandi talks about her writing. When did you start writing? I started out as a very little child, at about six, seven years old. I used to make plays about my parents and friends and the colorful years back then -- the last days of Zimbabwe’s liberation war, the Cease Fire, the Assembly Points and the changes in lifestyle for everyone. When did decide you wanted to be a published writer? Very early really, in high school, although my parents fought ...

Gary Albyn was born in Zimbabwe in 1960 and currently lives in South Africa with his wife and two children. His poems have been featured the anthologies, Forever Spoken (International Society of Poets, 2007) and The Best Poems and Poets of 2007 (International Society of Poets, 2008). His gift book, Manzovo: Place of the Elephants (30° South Publishers, 2008) is an illustrated 110-verse poem that comes with a DVD of the poem recited by the South African Shakespearian actor, John Whiteley. In this email interview, Gary Albyn talks about his concerns as a writer: When did you start writing? I started writing the poem Manzovo: Place of The Elephants in late 2003. The saga of the matriarchal herd just continued to evolve and develop over a period spanning 14 months. Upon completion, and without any notion of publication, I decided to memorize the story in order to be able to recite it to like-minded audiences; people with an abiding love and respect for our environment and nat...